About Me

Shabana Saleem

Hello,

Families don’t have to be broken to be rebuilt. If you want the picture-perfect family, you can have it. Sometimes it just needs to be reframed.

With over a decade of cross-border experience, I guide couples through marriage, separation, and parenting transitions, supporting them to communicate clearly and rebuild stability during uncertain times.

My approach combines legal insight with emotional understanding. Balancing respect, restoration, and resolution — to help families reframe conflict into an opportunity for clarity, growth, and renewal.

The

Approach

Respect

Every family matter deserves a respectful space for dialogue. In mediation, I create structure and fairness so each voice is heard and valued. Respectful communication fosters trust and increases long-term cooperation — an approach that holds particular importance in the UAE, where family, culture, and reputation are deeply intertwined.

Restoration

Change can be complex, layered with emotion and uncertainty. Drawing from restorative practices and family systems theory, I help couples and families listen, reflect, and rebuild. Structured dialogue encourages empathy and accountability, enabling families in transition to find balance and restore confidence in their future relationships.

Resolution

Resolution isn’t about winning — it’s about moving forward. I guide families toward fair, workable solutions through mediation or, where needed, court support. When individuals participate in shaping outcomes, agreements become stronger, lasting, and more widely accepted. True resolution empowers families to step into their next chapter with dignity.

Reframing

At the heart of my work is reframing — helping families shift perspective from conflict to collaboration. By focusing on understanding rather than blame, mediation becomes not just a process of resolution, but a path to resilience and renewed family harmony.

The

Journey

A career built on bridging law, culture, and compassion to help families find respectful resolution worldwide.

August 2009 | Early Research | Family Mediation

Authored a thesis on mediation within United Kingdom Sharia Councils, exploring faith, law, and family conflict resolution.

February 2010 | Muslim Arbitration Tribunal

Applied mediation and arbitration principles to align English family law and Sharia practice, supporting fair outcomes for diverse communities.

February 2011 | Masters Dispute Resolution

Specialised in non-court family dispute processes with my Middle East Masters, focusing on culturally sensitive mediation and the enforceability of family agreements across borders. 

September 2014 | Legal Practice in the Middle East

Practiced family law at Charles Russell Speechlys, advising on complex financial, parenting, and jurisdictional matters for international families across the GCC.

February 2018 | Sharia Council Enquiry

Provided expert evidence to the UK Sharia Council Enquiry, advocating for culturally informed, balanced approaches to family dispute resolution.

November 2022 | Relocation to Dubai

Focused on amicable dispute resolution for expatriate families across the UAE and wider Middle East, promoting cross-cultural understanding in family mediation.

October 2025 | Launch of Family Reframed

Created a platform sharing insights on mediation, co-parenting, and conflict resolution to guide families through separation with calm and confidence.